As the days are dwindling down to the end of the school year, and for some, the end to high school, we thought we’d share our own opinions, as well as asking other seniors from the Class of 2019 what they’ll miss most about Lake Forest High School, and what they won’t miss.

What We’ll Miss:

The front lawn

When we think back to LFHS, we’ll have the picturesque memory of the iconic ivy-covered walls and bright green lawn. We’ve had the privilege to attend “The Most Beautiful Public High School in Illinois” named by Architectural Digest and we’ll miss walking into the beautiful front doors of a “building that looks more like a country manor than a public school.”

Teachers/Faculty

A major part of our high school experience is shaped by the teachers we’ve had and the faculty that have helped us along the way. From those who have changed the way we view the world, inspired us to pursue certain careers, or simply been a mentor or advisor to talk to, we’ll miss the teachers and faculty that help make LFHS a community.

The Grind

Easy access to coffee, smoothies, doughnuts, chips, and practically any snack you could want between class periods — The Grind acts both as a snack shop and a hang out place for many students throughout the day. We’ll miss the Oreo frappuccinos, iced vanilla lattes, and grab-and-go bites to fill our hunger during math class.

School dances

One of high school’s iconic signatures are its dances — and at LFHS this includes homecoming, turnabout, and prom. We’ve spent countless hours preparing for these by making posters, shopping for dresses, taking the perfect photos at pre-parties, or just dancing the night away on the dance floor. We’ll miss the stresses, yet simplicity of a night of fun.

Snow/Cold days in the North Shore

In the beginning of 2019, we had our “week of snow/cold days” after winter break. Even though at one point it was -25ºF outside, students used these days to hang out with friends or just be happy that we didn’t have school. After high school, we probably won’t have the privilege of an abundant amount of “snow/cold days” off of college or work.

Clubs

The high school is made up of a variety of clubs — from the traditional clubs such as Student Council, Yearbook, and the Debate Team, to the newer clubs, such as the Yo-Yo Club, Lowkey Treble, and Asian-Pacific American Club, we’ll miss the after-school hangouts and activities that allowed us to meet new people that shared common interests with us.

Participating in a sport

For some students, their high school lives have revolved around hours of playing a JV or Varsity sport. They built a family among their teammates and dedicated hours to late night practices, games, or competitions. And for a lot of them, leaving LFHS marks the end of their sports career. We’ll miss the thrill of each game or hearing the cheers of the student section from the bleachers.

Having a car

Once we turned 16 years old and got our licences, it felt as if we had the world in our hands. We might take the responsibility of driving and owning a car for granted until the start of freshman year of college, when most students are not allowed to own a car on campus their first year. We’ll miss blasting music as we drive down McKinley with the windows down and a car filled with friends.

Being in a music ensemble

The Music Department is filled with students that have participated in either band, orchestra, or choir for their four years of high school. The ensembles are built upon a love for music and long-lasting memories, especially those formed during music trips abroad to Europe. We’ll miss the pep rally performances from the band, constant jokes from the orchestra, and singing in the hallways from the choir kids.

The friends we’ve made

When asked what they’ll miss most about LFHS, most of the seniors’ first responses were the same. Most of the Class of 2019 has grown up alongside each other since elementary school, while making our best friends along the way. Graduation marks the beginning of a new chapter in a lives, even if it means leaving our old friends behind. We’ll miss seeing our best friends every day at lunch, study hall, class, or just hanging out at Tala Coffee Roasters or Starbucks on the weekends.

What We Won’t Miss:

Waking up before the sunrise

High school seniors across the nation are looking forward to not having to wake up to their 6:30 AM alarm blaring in their ear. In college we will be able to schedule our own classes around times that are more convenient for us. While an 8:00 AM class is probably inevitable at some point, it will at least be nice to have a break during the summer.

Standardized testing

Never again will there come a day where we need to take another ACT, SAT, PSAT, or even the dreaded PARCC testing from middle school. For as long as I can remember, even in the early years of elementary school, we have been taking state issued standardized testing, starting out with ISAT’s. It’s nothing short of a blessing to know that we will never need to sit down for one of these tests ever again.

Nine Absences rule

Of course it’s not a good idea to miss much class in college when you consider the cost per class. However, something the class of 2019 definitely won’t miss is have the deans on our backs about our nine absences. In high school, even if you are home sick but don’t have a doctors note, it counts towards your nine absences. We are all looking forward to being in control of our own attendance next year.

Not being able to leave school

In college, when you’re not in class, you are free to do basically whatever you want. You can go back to your dorm for a nap, study, grab food, or hangout with your friends wherever you would like. While high school did bring many new freedoms that we didn’t have in middle school, many of the seniors are ready for more. In high school, you weren’t allowed to go off campus unless you were a senior, and even then there were tons of restrictions on when you could and could not leave. We will not be missing this lack of freedom.

Cafeteria food

Many people will agree it’s much easier to rely on purchasing lunch at school, rather than pre-packing it. However when you are eating off of the same menu five days a week, nine months a year, and four years in a row, the options and prices are no good. While the familiar taste of the sandwiches and coffees might seem nostalgic, seniors are definitely looking forward to more options next year.

Blocked wifi and websites

No one will forget the day that the school blocked apps like Snapchat and Instagram on their wifi. Suddenly everyone turned into masters coders were downloading VPN apps left and right. I, along with many of my peers, are looking forward to not having to worry about random blocked sites and apps on the school wifi.

Senior parking

Everyone knows how outrageous senior parking is at LFHS. The prices are so high, there are even TFS articles written about it. Seniors definitely won’t miss the parking lottery and paying $700 to earn a spot in the brick paved lot. While it’s nice to have your car so close to school, the high prices are definitely not worth it.

Required core classes

Almost everyone can agree that required core classes such as the four years of English and three of math were not their favorite parts of high school. Although we will have to take these types of classes in college as well, it will be nice to have more freedom when it comes to our majors and what classes we want to take.

High school drama/high school couples

Of course there will always be a little weird social drama in any situation, but there’s something about high school drama and relationships that is especially toxic. Well ladies and gentlemen, the day has come where we never need to worry about catty high school friend groups ever again. We are finally free to start over and build lifelong relationships at the school of our choice.

Basement to 3rd floor stairs

Talk about cardio… No one is going to have a hard time saying goodbye to the stairs at LFHS. You have second period French and third period English with a full on stairmaster workout in between the two. We won’t miss walking into our third floor class completely out of breath.